Smartphone case with separate computer hardware for recording private health-related data

ABSTRACT

New peripheral device cases and methods of use are provided. In some embodiments, specialized hardware for acquiring personal health data is provided within a smartphone case. In some such embodiments, a case with squeezable sections is provided, configured to monitor pressure applied by a user and record a user&#39;s grip strength. In some embodiments, optical sensors are provided which monitor and assess a user&#39;s behavior while extrapolating user statuses based on behavior. For example, a new form of transparent pixel array is provided over the screen of a smartphone held within a case, and records both visual data and user input related to the screen, while permitting normal actuation of the smartphone screen through the transparent pixel array. In some embodiments, data is secured and managed within separate computer hardware within a case, and shared with a smartphone held within it, and/or with a network, upon obtaining user consent.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This specification relates to peripheral devices for smartphones andother personal digital devices and, in particular, to cases forprotecting and enhancing the function of personal digital devices.

BACKGROUND

Personal digital assistants (“PDAs”) are small portable computers thatallow a user to record and manage personal information, and they havebeen available in some form for decades. For example, as early as the1970 s, small digital wristwatches allowed users to perform personalcomputing, such as financial arithmetic, and were capable of storinginformation related to personal contacts, such as names, addresses andphone numbers. The now virtually ubiquitous smartphones can be thoughtof as modern PDAs, capable of sophisticated, highly securecommunications over a network and execution of some of the most complexcomputer programs.

Today, specialized software products designed to be executed onsmartphones is also widely available. Such software products, or “Apps”,allow users to provide and receive a wide variety of data and to performnumerous functions based on such data. Some examples of Apps includethose that provide functionality relating to online banking, digitalgaming, and personal health management. With respect to healthmanagement, many Apps are currently available to aid users in managingtheir food intake and/or other health-relevant behavior.

With the rise of smartphones, a wide variety of protective cases havebeen developed. Many of these cases surround at least a significantportion of the smartphone. Some such cases also have aestheticenhancements, such as decals and bright coloring.

SUMMARY

New smartphone and electronics peripheral device cases, systems andmethods of use are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, specializedhardware for acquiring personal health data is provided within asmartphone peripheral device case. In some such embodiments, such aperipheral device case may include squeezable sections configured tomonitor pressure applied by a user at different times. In someembodiments, a peripheral device case may also be configured todetermine and record a user's grip strength according to the pressurereceived.

In some embodiments, optical sensors may be provided to monitor andassess a user's behavior, while extrapolating user statuses based onsuch behavior. For example, in some such embodiments, a new form oftransparent pixel array may be provided over a screen of a smartphoneheld within the peripheral device case. In some embodiments, thetransparent pixel array may record both visual data and user inputrelated to the screen, while permitting normal actuation of thesmartphone screen through the transparent pixel array.

In some embodiments, data may be securely held and managed with separatecomputer hardware and software disposed within a peripheral device case.Such data may then be shared with a smartphone held within the caseand/or with a network, subject to certain conditions, in someembodiments. For example, in some embodiments, the computer hardware andsoftware may request and receive user consent before sharing thesecurely held data.

As mentioned above, the disclosed embodiments may include methods andsystems. In some embodiments, such systems include computer hardware andsoftware, including non-transitory machine-readable media withexecutable instructions. When executed by computer hardware, theinstructions may cause the systems to carry out any or all of themethods set forth in this application.

The details of one or more embodiments of the subject matter of thisspecification are set forth in the accompanying drawings and thedescription below. Other features, aspects, and advantages of thesubject matter will become apparent from the description, the drawings,and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of an example smartphone case peripheral deviceconnected with, and holding, an example smartphone, in accordance withsome embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a back view of the example smartphone case peripheral deviceshown in FIG. 1 depicting additional example aspects in accordance withsome embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a back cross-sectional view of the smartphone case peripheraldevice shown in FIGS. 1-2, depicting several example internal aspects inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of an example control system thatmay be used to implement various aspects of the disclosed embodiments,further described in reference to FIGS. 1-3 and 5-13.

FIG. 5 is a process flow diagram, setting forth exemplary processingsteps that may be undertaken by a control system (such as the exemplarycontrol system set shown in FIG. 4) according to some embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another example smartphone caseperipheral device configured to provide an array of behavior-monitoringsensors within an example touchscreen cover, in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another example smartphone caseperipheral device configured to provide other forms of low-profilebehavioral monitoring sensors, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another example smartphone caseperipheral device, configured to provide low-profile behavioralmonitoring sensors with a more abbreviated form factor only partiallycovering such a smartphone, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the smartphone case peripheral deviceshown in FIG. 8, wherein the case includes a smartphone disposed thereinsuch that the case partially covers the smartphone, in accordance withsome embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the smartphone case peripheral deviceshown in FIG. 7, wherein the case includes a smartphone disposed thereinsuch that the case covers at least part of the smartphone in accordancewith some embodiments.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an example smartphone including sensorsconfigured to monitor the physical abilities of a user within itsprotective housing, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 12 is a front view of an example user interface implementing someexample aspects of the present embodiments related to monitoring andgathering user capability and behavior data with a smartphone and/orsmartphone case.

FIG. 13 is a front view of the example user interface and smartphonedepicted in FIG. 12, implementing some additional exemplary aspects ofthe embodiments during a data generating activity.

It should be noted that the figures referenced above are examples onlyof the wide variety of different embodiments falling within the scope ofthe invention, as will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill inthe art. Thus, any particular size(s), shape(s), proportion(s),scale(s), material(s) or number(s) of elements pictured are illustrativeand demonstrative, and do not limit the scope of invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a front view of an example smartphone case peripheral device101, connected with and housing an example smartphone 103. In someembodiments, smartphone case peripheral device 101 includes a protectivehousing 105. The housing 105 may at least partially surround an outersurface 104 of a smartphone 103 when the smartphone 103 is disposedwithin the protective housing 105 of the smartphone case peripheraldevice 101. In some embodiments, smartphone case peripheral device 101includes an internal smartphone-receiving section 107 for receiving andholding a smartphone. The smartphone-receiving section 107 may includean internal void with a shape complementary to, or configured to hold atleast part of the outer surface 104 of smartphone 103. Thus, in suchembodiments, a touchscreen 106 of the smartphone 103 may remain exposed.However, it will be appreciated that, in some alternative embodiments, anew form of touchscreen cover may also be included. Such a touchscreencover may allow separate actuation by a user while allowing a user toview information on touchscreen 106. Such embodiments will be discussedin greater detail below, for example, in reference to FIG. 6.

In some embodiments, smartphone case peripheral device 101 includes oneor more sensors configured to monitor the physical abilities of a user.For example, as shown in FIG. 3, motion sensors may be provided in, onand/or about parts of smartphone case peripheral device 101. Forexample, in some embodiments, one or more of the motion sensors may bedisposed on or near moving part(s) of smartphone case peripheral device101 to monitor movements of those moving part(s). In some suchembodiments, the motion sensors may comprise acceleration sensors. Insome embodiments, such sensors may determine information relating tovarious movements, such as an acceleration at one or more times. Furtherexamples of possible embodiments of such sensors are discussed ingreater detail below.

In some embodiments, a control system with specialized programming mayinterpret such data and generate additional data relating to suchmovement(s) using a software program. In some embodiments, such acontrol system may be within smartphone case peripheral device 101 andmay be separate from any control system held within a smartphone, suchas smartphone 103, held within smartphone case peripheral device 101. Insuch embodiments, the control system within smartphone case peripheraldevice 101 is still connected and able to communicate with a smartphoneheld within smartphone case peripheral device 101, such as smartphone103, via a communications connection.

In some embodiments, smartphone case peripheral device 101 may receivepower (e.g., to power the operations of its separate control system)from smartphone 103 via a power connection. In some embodiments, acommunications connection and a power connection may be a singlephysical communications and/or power connection, such as serial port andplug gateway 108. In some embodiments, the communications connectionand/or the power connection may be a wired connection, such as a serialport and plug gateway 108, which includes a serial plug withinsmartphone case peripheral device 101 and a complementary serial portwithin smartphone 103. In some embodiments, the communicationsconnection and/or the power connection may be a wireless connection,such as a Bluetooth, WIFI or other network connection. In someembodiments, multiple control systems associated with smartphone caseperipheral device 101 (e.g., on board smartphone case peripheral device101), smartphone 103 and/or elsewhere may carry out separate parts of asoftware program, in accordance with aspects of the present invention.In other embodiments, a single control system, (e.g., on boardsmartphone case peripheral device 101, or on board smartphone 103, orbridging between smartphone case peripheral device 101 and smartphone103) may carry out steps of a software program. Examples of specificsoftware programs, process steps, and such control systems carrying outaspects of the invention are discussed in greater detail below.

In some embodiments, acceleration curves, plotting accelerations overtime may be created by such a control system. In some embodiments, thebehavior and/or capabilities of a user, and aspects thereof, may bededuced by such a control system. In some embodiments, a user's physicalstrength at particular times may be determined by the degree of movementof a moving part, for example, when such a moving part is force-loaded.In such embodiments, the moving part may be connected to a spring toresist movement and a degree of movement of such moving part maycorrespond with a force applied to each such moving part or a part ofsuch a moving part, and, therefore, a strength level of a user, which isrecorded by such a control system.

As another example, in some embodiments, a user's flexibility atparticular times may be determined by the degree of movement of such amoving part. As another example, a user's range of movement atparticular times may be determined by the degree of movement of such amoving part. As another example, a user's state and degree ofinflammation may be determined by the speed and/or degree of movement ofsuch a moving part. As another example, a user's alertness may bedetermined by the speed and/or degree of movement of such a moving part.As another example, a user's reflexes may be determined by the speed ofmovement of such a moving part. As another example, a user's muscularcontrol may be determined by the speed of movement of such a movingpart. As another example, a user's muscular movement speed may bedetermined by the speed of movement of such a moving part. As anotherexample, a user's hand-eye coordination may be determined by the speedand accuracy of movement of such a moving part, in response to a commandproduced by such a control system.

As a structural example, in some embodiments, such moving part(s) areone or more compressible member(s), such as example compressible members109. Compressible members 109 each are part of, and connected to theremainder of, smartphone case peripheral device 101, and can be movedinward, via inward pressure against their outward-facing surfaces, insome embodiments. Given enough such inward pressure against it, such acompressible member may begin to move inward relative to the remainderof smartphone case peripheral device 101, in some embodiments, as shownby example force and movement arrows 111. In some embodiments, as willbe discussed in greater detail below, a wide variety of different formsof force-biasing may be provided, in opposition to, and to provideresistance against, such movements. For example, instead of, or inaddition to, being connected to springs, compressible members 109 may besubjected to electrostatic or magnetic forces, in some embodiments. Forexample, in some such embodiments, any or each of compressible members109 may include a charge or dipole, driven by an opposing charge ordipole nearby and within the remainder of smartphone case peripheraldevice 101. In some such embodiments, the charge or dipole nearby andwithin the remainder of smartphone case peripheral device 101 may bealterable by the control system. In some embodiments, a plurality ofdifferent devices and forms of force-biasing may each be used to createcounterforce and resistance to movement in the compressible members. Forexample, as will be discussed in greater detail below, in someembodiments, a combination of spring-created and normal (i.e.,structural) forces may be applied to one or more of the compressiblemembers. In some such embodiments, the different devices and/or forcetypes may create a more rapidly escalating counterforce and resistanceto movement in the compressible members, while still enabling continuedcompression of the members. In some such embodiments, a greaterescalation in such counterforce and resistance is created at particularthresholds of compression of the compressible members. In someembodiments, any such force bias may be reversed or otherwise altered,at particular times, and to accommodate particular uses and situations.Such embodiments will be discussed in greater detail below.

Compressible members 109 may exist in a wide variety of possiblenumbers, physical arrangements, and specialized forms, in variousembodiments of the invention. For example, in some embodiments, somesuch compressible members 109 may be in the form of user-compressiblehandgrips, such as example external compressible handgrips 113, shown atthe outer lengthwise sides 115. In some embodiments, a peripheral devicethat is not a smartphone case, but contains hand-compressible membersand a control system, as set forth herein, may be provided, instead ofor in addition to smartphone case peripheral device 101. In some suchembodiments, such compressible members may have a larger range ofmovement, allowing for a better range of measurements. In someembodiments, compressible members of smartphone case peripheral device101 may be in the form of case- and smartphone-protecting bumpers, suchas compressible bumpers 117, which may protect smartphone caseperipheral device 101 (and smartphone 103 within it) from collisionsalong both lengthwise sides 115 and at side-ends 119—compressiblebumpers 117 being disposed at, and extending from, the corners, such asthe example corners 121, of smartphone case peripheral device 101 aspictured. In some embodiments, compressible bumpers 117 may have acurved, more complex outer profile than that pictured for compressiblehandgrips 113 to accommodate compression from a wider variety ofenvironmental insults. As will be explained in greater detail below, thecompression of any of compressible bumpers 117 may be directed in adifferent inward direction(s) than that of other compressible bumpers117 or other compressible members 109, such as compressible handgrips113, in some embodiments. Of course, in practice, a wide variety ofadditional and/or alternative forms and different compression directions(even out-of-plane with one another) may be created in differentembodiments of the invention. The exact number, disposition,arrangement, form and direction of compression provided for compressiblemembers 109 herein are only examples of the myriad alternative andadditional embodiments falling within the scope of the invention, aswill be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art to whichthe present invention relates.

Similarly, as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art towhich the present invention relates, smartphone case peripheral device101 may generally be formed in a wide variety of alternative shapes,sizes, and dimensions in different embodiments of the invention. Forexample, in some embodiments, smartphone case peripheral device 101 mayhave a shorter length relative to its width than that pictured asexample device length 123 and example device width 125, to accommodate asmartphone with different dimensions than that pictured as smartphone103. In some embodiments, a variety of different-sized smartphonesand/or PDAs may be held within, control and/or be controlled bysmartphone case peripheral device 101. In some such embodiments, asmartphone-gripping bracket or other adjustable form factor may adjustto match and grip such different-sized smartphones and/or PDAs, ormultiples of them.

Similarly, for example, although a particular physical communicationsand/or power connection 108 is shown in the figure, it should beunderstood that a wide variety of different physical communicationsconnections and/or power connections may additionally or alternativelybe used for communications and/or power connections.

FIG. 2 is a back view of the same example smartphone case peripheraldevice 101, discussed above, depicting additional example aspects inaccordance with embodiments of the invention. From the rear perspective,only the rear side 201 of smartphone case peripheral device 101 isvisible, meaning that smartphone 103, if present within smartphone caseperipheral device 101, is covered from view. However, it should beunderstood that smartphone 103 may still be held within an internalsmartphone-receiving section of smartphone case peripheral device 101,as depicted above in FIG. 1. Also visible from the rear perspective aresome parts of example force transmission struts 203, attached to, orintegral with, some of example compressible members 109—namely, examplecompressible bumpers 117. As will be discussed below, in across-sectional view exposing more example inner workings of examplesmartphone case peripheral device 101, other forms of struts and othermoving and structural pieces and complexes thereof may be included, inaddition to and/or instead of force transmission struts 203, in someembodiments.

In certain embodiments, to accommodate force transmission struts 203while channeling their movement in particular direction(s),strut-holding channels 205 may be included, for example, within the rearside 201 of smartphone case peripheral device 101. Such strut-holdingchannels 205 may include movement guides, such as channel walls 207,which may allow the linear movement of force transmission struts 203and, thereby, the compression of compressible members 109, as shown byexample force and movement arrows 211 (and their return, extendingoutward, in the opposite direction than that pictured by force andmovement arrows 211). As mentioned above, and as will be discussed ingreater detail below, such linear movements may be influenced byforce-biasing, such as by attached springs, actuators, or othermaterials.

Similarly, compressible handgrips 113 are also compressible, beingpartially exposed and extending beyond the edge of outer lengthwisesides 115 in their resting state, in some embodiments. As such,compressible handgrips 113 may be accessible and hand-actuable by auser, who can demonstrate and record her or his grip strength bycompressing compressible handgrips 113 toward one another, as shown byexample force and movement arrows 213 in accordance with embodiments ofthe invention discussed in greater detail elsewhere in this application.And, also similarly to other compressible members 109, compressiblehandgrips 113 may be attached to, or integral with, force transmissionstruts (not pictured) within protective housing 105 of smartphone caseperipheral device 101, and subject to return to their starting position(as pictured) by force-biasing, in accordance with some embodimentsdiscussed in greater detail below.

FIG. 3 is a back cross-sectional view of the same example smartphonecase peripheral device 101, discussed above, depicting several exampleinternal aspects, in accordance with embodiments of the invention. Asmentioned above, according to some embodiments of the invention, severaladditional internal struts now appear, in addition to force transmissionstruts 203 (which, themselves, can now be viewed more completely). Forexample, intermediate, multipurpose force transmission struts 301 withinsmartphone case peripheral device 101 now appear, which are able totransmit movements and forces from any of compressible members 109 to acentral shock absorber 303, in accordance with some such embodiments. Insome embodiments, central shock absorber 303 includes force-biasingdevice(s), such as example mechanical springs 305. Thus, for example, insome embodiments, a user may press any of example compressible members109 inward (i.e., compressing them), as shown by example force andmovement arrows 307, and, in turn, such example compressible members 109(and any struts integral with or attached thereto, such as example forcetransmission struts 203) may then collide with intermediate,multipurpose force transmission struts 301, which, in turn, may likewisetravel inwards, compressing mechanical springs 305 of central shockabsorber 303.

To guide their motion inwards, as similarly discussed with respect tochannels created by channel walls 207, intermediate multipurpose forcetransmission struts 301 may also be guided in linear movement, in someembodiments, by internal channel guides, such as the examples picturedas channel walls 308. In some embodiments, internal channel guides suchas channel walls 308 may be formed by elastomeric, or pliant blocks,such as the example pliant blocks 310, which, themselves, createauxiliary resistance and force-biasing against at least some compressionof at least some of compressible members 109. As mentioned above, incertain embodiments, some of such auxiliary resistance may be greaterthan that caused by mechanical springs 305 alone and applied only atgreater degrees of compression of compressible members 109. Thus, arapidly escalating resistance to compression of compressible members 109can be achieved, yielding a wide range of testable compression forcesand, ipso facto, user's hand strengths and other capabilities, inaccordance with some embodiments of the invention.

Because each of intermediate multipurpose force transmission struts 301may be driven inward by more than one of compressible members 109 (andstruts integral with or attached thereto), the intermediate,multipurpose force transmission struts 301 may support more than onetype of function in some embodiments of the invention. For example, insome such embodiments, intermediate, multipurpose force transmissionstruts 301 can receive compression forces from (1) force transmissionstruts 203 attached to and/or integral with compressible bumpers 117;and/or (2) compressible handgrips 113. In some such embodiments, a usermay thus compress central shock absorber 303 by compressing compressiblebumpers 117 and/or compressible handgrips 113. Thus, in certainembodiments discussed further below, a user may test her or his handgrip strength using compressible handgrips 113 and may also protect asmartphone held within smartphone case peripheral device 101 usingcentral shock absorber 303. As mentioned above, the recitation of anexample central shock absorber is an illustration of some, but not all,embodiments of the invention, and a wide variety of alternativestructures, numbers, arrangements, force-biasing and movement resistancetechnologies may be used, in addition to, or as an alternative to, thedesign pictured for central shock absorber 303, in various embodimentsof the invention. For example, in some embodiments, multiple shockabsorbers may be used, rather than a single shock absorber. As anotherexample, in some embodiments, another form of force biasing, such aselectrostatic, magnetic, weights, or friction, may be used as a shockabsorber, instead of or in addition to springs.

As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the degree of compression ofany of compressible members 109 may be sensed and recorded by a controlsystem within, or in communication with, smartphone case peripheraldevice 101. In some such embodiments, such a degree of compression maybe related to an amount of force applied (e.g., to such compressiblemember(s)) to achieve such a degree of compression. In some suchembodiments, such an amount of force may also, or alternatively, berecorded. In some such embodiments, additional data may be recorded,such as the time of day that the force is applied, and the identity ofthe user compressing the compressible member(s).

To record degrees of compression, sensors (e.g., motion sensors) may beincluded within, on, and/or about smartphone case peripheral device 101.As shown, a strategic array of such motion sensors, such as thoseincluding example sensors 309, may be provided, wherein each such motionsensor is situated to observe a degree of movement of each ofcompressible members 109 or a force-transmission strut attached to, ordriven by, such a compressible member.

Thus, for example, in some methods of use in accordance with embodimentsof the invention, a user may squeeze smartphone case peripheral device101 by compressing one or both of example compressible handgrips 113 tovarious degrees, with escalating resistance, due to force loading withinshock absorber 303 (such as example internal springs 305). Because themotion sensors including example motion sensors 309 may monitor thedegree, speed and/or acceleration of movement of example externalcompressible handgrips 113, the amount of force applied by a user's handto compress smartphone case peripheral device 101 can be determined by acontrol system connected for communications with motion sensors 301. Forexample, in some embodiments, the amounts of force so determined asrequired to compress each of compressible handgrips 113 may be summed todetermine a total amount of compression force applied by the user. Insome embodiments, multiple sensors may be provided for separatelytracking multiple parts of each of compressible members 109 or strutsattached to and/or integral with them. In some such embodiments, morecomplex characteristics of actuation of compressible members 109, ratherthan merely a compression force, or amount of compression force, ortotal compression force, may be determined and recorded by such sensorsand a control system controlling the function of, and receiving inputfrom, smartphone case peripheral device 101. For example, in someembodiments, an order or pattern of actuation of such parts ofcompressible members 109. In some such embodiments, a user's dexteritylevel (e.g., a degree of compliance with actuation instructions) may bedetermined and recorded at particular times. As mentioned above, and asanother example, in some embodiments, a level of inflammation of a usermay be assessed, based on differences in strength and/or speed ofmovements recorded at particular times. For example, in some suchembodiments, a user with an auto-immune disorder or disease may recordsuch data to assess that user's disorder or disease state. As anotherexample, in some such embodiments, a user with a cardiovascular diseasemay record such data to assess that user's disease state. As anotherexample, in some embodiments, a user's accuracy and/or precision inactuation of compressible members 109 and parts thereof may be assessedand recorded by such a control system, which may be provided within, ormay be in communication with, computer hardware within smartphone caseperipheral device 101 in different embodiments of the invention. Forexample, in some embodiments, a level of physical ability, cognition,accuracy, and/or precision of a user may be assessed and recorded basedon a user's recorded strength. Some example embodiments of such acontrol system are discussed in greater detail immediately below, inreference to FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of some example elements of anexample control system 400, preferably incorporating a non-transitorymachine-readable medium, that may be used to implement various aspectsof the present invention, some of which are described in reference toFIGS. 1-3, above, and FIGS. 5-13, below. The generic and othercomponents and aspects described herein are not exhaustive of the manydifferent control systems and variations, including a number of possiblehardware aspects and machine-readable media, that might be used, inaccordance with embodiments of the invention. Rather, the control system400 is described herein to make clear how aspects may be implemented.

Among other components, the control system 400 may include aninput/output device 401, a memory device 403, a longer-term, deep datastorage media and/or other data storage device 405, and one or moreprocessors 407. The processor(s) 407 is (are) capable of receiving,interpreting, processing and manipulating signals and executinginstructions for further processing and for output, pre-output and/orstorage in and outside of the control system. The processor(s) 407 maybe general or multipurpose, single- or multi-threaded, and may have asingle core or several processor cores, including microprocessors. Amongother things, the processor(s) 407 is (are) capable of processingsignals and instructions for the input/output (“I/O”) device 401, tocause a user interface to be provided or modified for use by a user onhardware, such as, but not limited to, a personal computer monitor orterminal monitor with a mouse and keyboard and presentation andinput-facilitating software (as in a GUI), or other suitable GUIpresentation system (e.g., on a smartphone touchscreen, a smartphonecase peripheral device screen, and/or with other ancillary user inputhardware, such as compressible members with motion sensors, as discussedelsewhere in this application).

For example, in some embodiments, sensor(s) and other user interfaceaspects may gather input from a user and present user(s) with selectableoptions, such as preconfigured commands, to interact with hardware andsoftware of the control system and monitor a user's strength, dexterityand other capabilities and behaviors at particular times. For example,in some such embodiments, a user may interact with the control systemthrough any of the actuation and user interface techniques set forth inthis application, such as by compressing compressible members andcausing the control system to record degrees and forces of compression,dexterity, or other biomarkers, or to carry out any other actions setforth in this application for a control system. The processor(s) 407is/are capable of processing instructions stored in memory devices 405and/or 403 (or ROM or RAM) and may communicate via system buses 475. I/Odevice 401 is capable of input/output operations for the control system400, and may include and communicate through innumerable input and/oroutput hardware, and innumerable instances thereof, such as a computermouse(s), or other sensors, actuator(s), communications antenna,keyboard(s), smartphone(s) and/or PDA(s), networked or connectedadditional computer(s), camera(s) or microphone(s), mixing board(s),reel-to-reel tape recorder(s), external hard disk recorder(s),additional movie and/or sound editing system(s) or gear, speaker(s),external filter(s), amp(s), preamp(s), equalizer(s), filteringdevice(s), stylus(es), gesture recognition hardware, speech recognitionhardware, computer display screen(s), touchscreen(s), sensors overlaidonto touchscreens, or other manually actuable member(s) and sensor(s)related thereto. Such a display device or unit and other input/outputdevices could implement a program or user interface created bymachine-readable means such as software, permitting the system and userto carry out the user settings and other input discussed in thisapplication. I/O device 401, memory 403, deep storage media device 405,and processor(s) 407 are connected with and able to send and receivecommunications, transmissions and instructions via system bus(es) 475.Deep storage media device 405 is capable of providing mass storage forthe system, and may be a computer-readable medium, a connected massstorage device (e.g., flash drive or other drive connected to a U.S.B.port or Wi-Fi), may use back-end or cloud storage over a network (e.g.,the Internet) as either a memory backup for an internal mass storagedevice or as a primary memory storage means, or may simply be aninternal mass storage device, such as a computer hard drive or opticaldrive.

Generally speaking, the system 400 may be implemented as a client/serverarrangement, where features of the invention are performed on a remoteserver, networked to the client, and made a client and server bysoftware on both the client computer and server computer. System 400 iscapable of accepting input from any of those devices and systems 409-419(e.g., Internet/servers 409, local machine 411,camera/microphone/sensors 413-414, IOT/Ubiq. 415, Intranet/businesssystem 417, and smartphone and/or web app 419) and modifying stored datawithin them and within itself, based on any input or output sent throughinput/output device 401.

Input and output devices may deliver their input and receive output byany known means, including, but not limited to, any of the hardwareand/or software examples shown as 409-419.

While the illustrated example system 400 may be helpful to understandthe implementation of aspects of the invention, any suitable form ofcomputer system known in the art may be used—for example, a simplercomputer system containing just a processor for executing instructionsfrom a memory or transmission source—in various embodiments of theinvention. The aspects or features set forth may be implemented with,and in any combination of, digital electronic circuitry, hardware,software, firmware, modules, languages, approaches or any othercomputing technology known in the art, any of which may be aided withexternal data from external hardware and software, optionally, bynetworked connection, such as by LAN, WAN or the many connectionsforming the Internet. The system can be embodied in a tangibly-storedcomputer program, as by a machine-readable medium and propagated signal,for execution by a programmable processor. Any or all of the methodsteps of the embodiments of the present invention may be performed bysuch a programmable processor, executing a program of instructions,operating on input and output, and generating output and stored data. Acomputer program includes instructions for a computer to carry out aparticular activity to bring about a particular result and may bewritten in any programming language, including compiled and uncompiledand interpreted languages and machine language, and can be deployed inany form, including a complete program, module, component, subroutine,or other suitable routine for a computer program.

FIG. 5 is a process flow diagram, setting forth several example steps500 that may be undertaken by a control system (such as the examplecontrol system set forth above, in reference to FIG. 4) implementingsome example aspects of the present invention (e.g., through softwareexecuted on any of the control system hardware described throughout thisapplication), according to some embodiments of the invention. In someembodiments, as discussed above, such a control system is includedwithin a new form of smartphone case peripheral device, which maycommunicate with, control, and be controlled by, a separate controlsystem(s) resident on such a smartphone or a network with which thesmartphone and/or the smartphone case peripheral device is connected (orvariably connected), in accordance with some embodiments of theinvention discussed in this application.

Beginning with step 501, the control system of the smartphone caseperipheral device (such as example smartphone case peripheral device101, discussed above) first determines whether power is being providedby a smartphone with which the control system has connection(s) (such asexample smartphone 103). As discussed above, such connection(s) may beconnection(s) for transmitting and receiving power, in some embodiments.As also discussed above, such connection(s) may be connection(s) fortransmitting and receiving communications in some embodiments. As alsodiscussed above, such connection(s) may be wired connection(s) in someembodiments. As also discussed above, such connection(s) may be wirelessconnection(s) in some embodiments. Such connection(s) may be constant orintermittent in some embodiments. In some embodiments, examples of suchwireless connection(s) include WIFI, Bluetooth, and/or cellular dataconnection(s). In any event, regardless of the format of the powerand/or communication(s) connection(s) between the control system andsmartphone with which it is connected, if no power is received from thesmartphone, the control system may proceed to step 503, in which it mayattempt to access power from a strategic power reserve (e.g., a battery,capacitor, or a set of multiples thereof located within the smartphonecase peripheral device) to power further operations, unless and untilpower is again provided from an external source (e.g., the smartphone, awall outlet, or a wireless power source, in embodiments where wirelesspower receiving hardware is present within the control system), and thenproceeds to certain subsequent steps (e.g., steps 533 et seq., whichwill be discussed in greater detail below.)

In general, the steps set forth in reference to FIG. 5 may be conductedin a wide variety of orders, and with or without various steps set forthherein, and with or without additional steps, while implementing aspectsof the present invention, and as will be readily apparent to those ofordinary skill in the art. The exact order and number of steps set forthherein are only examples. For example, in some embodiments, the controlsystem may simultaneously engage in steps 533 et seq. and steps 505 etseq., which also will be discussed in greater detail below.

If, instead, the control system determines that power is being providedto it by the smartphone in step 501, the control system proceeds to step505 to assess the status of a communications connection with thesmartphone and engage in further tasks. More specifically, in someembodiments, the control system determines whether such a communicationsconnection is secure and/or whether the smartphone has beenauthenticated in accordance with a data access protocol. For example, insome embodiments, such a data access protocol may include anauthenticated security token and/or certificate provided by thesmartphone and identification of the smartphone as among a list oftrusted devices maintained by the control system. In some embodiments, asecure login protocol or other security handshake may be initiated,validating the identity of the smartphone as a device permitted toengage in the further steps set forth below in various embodiments. Inany event, the control system may perform any of such authenticationsteps and/or other steps and determine whether the smartphone is such apermitted device, in subsequent step 507. If the smartphone is not sopermitted, the control system proceeds to step 509, where it mayterminate further procedures with the smartphone and may block anycommunications with the smartphone (or other networks, in someembodiments) using a firewall before proceeding to steps 503 et seq., insome embodiments. If, however, the smartphone is determined to be sopermitted, in step 507, the control system may proceed to steps 511 etseq.

Proceeding to step 511, once the smartphone has been soauthenticated/permitted, the control system may next determine whetherthe smartphone is in “awake” state, meaning that it is ready to engagein operations and communications involving the control system. If not,the control system may proceed to steps 533 et seq. to engage in certainoperations not necessarily directly involving the smartphone. If thesmartphone is so awake, the control system instead may proceed to step513, in which it receives updates and synchronizes at least some dataand operations with the smartphone, in some embodiments. For example, insome embodiments, in subsequent step 515, the control system may updateone or more databases related to a regimen of “squeeze reminders.”Squeeze reminders, in accordance with aspects of the presentapplication, may be scheduled alerts sent to a user of the controlsystem, smartphone case peripheral device and smartphone which requestthat the user (e.g., through a graphical user interface (“GUI”)) squeezeat least part of the smartphone case peripheral device to register agrip strength in accordance with some aspects of the invention set forthin this application for smartphone cases and/or peripheral devicesmonitoring user behavior. In some embodiments, such alerts may bedelivered via haptic feedback (e.g., a distinct vibration, of adifferent pattern and/or intensity than other alerts issued) from thesmartphone case peripheral device and/or smartphone. In otherembodiments, such alerts may be delivered via visual GUI elements (e.g.,a visual “push notification” delivered on a touchscreen) created on thesmartphone case peripheral device and/or smartphone. Of course, theexample embodiment provided here related to a smartphone case peripheraldevice that records handgrip strength is just one of potentiallyunlimited types of user behavior, actuation and characteristics thereof,which may be elicited and recorded by the control system in variousembodiments of the invention, and should by no means be read to limitthe scope of the invention. Most of the steps set forth in FIG. 5 can beapplied in the context of any other type of user behavior and abilitiesto be monitored, as will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art. In some embodiments, such user behavior, and reminders andother actions related thereto, may be delivered in any suitable format.In some embodiments, such formats are even unstructured, “freeform,” orotherwise specially created for a particular user or smartphone caseperipheral device (e.g., based on history), in step 517. For example, insome embodiments, a third party (such as a doctor or other healthpractitioner or “coach”) may request that particular types of data besolicited and generated by the smartphone case peripheral device and/orsmartphone (e.g., through an associated application or “App”) from aparticular user. In some embodiments, the App itself may generate suchrequests for particular types of data, based on programming and datarelated to the user, provided by the user and/or coach. In someembodiments, the user may generate such data unsolicited by any alerts.For example, in some embodiments, a user may decide to squeeze thecompressible members of a smartphone case peripheral device, performingan ad hoc grip strength test, or some other form of ad hoc physicaland/or mental test (a.k.a., an “off-schedule squeeze,” as noted insubsequent steps 525, et seq.).

In any event, the control system may or may not share such solicitedand/or generated special data with the smartphone (or, in someembodiments, another network) in some embodiments. For example, in someembodiments, the control system may classify (e.g., using a GUIselection provided through the control system) that data as private,meaning that the user does not wish, or it would otherwise beinappropriate, to share that data with other persons (such as a coach)or in other places (other than the control system hardware presentwithin the smartphone case peripheral device itself, and not even thesmartphone) in step 519. Examples of such GUI selections are discussedin greater detail below, in reference to FIGS. 12 and 13. If,conversely, such data is not classified as private, such other personsor places are not barred from access to that data, and instead such datais shared with them, in step 521. In some embodiments, such a privateclassification indicates that the smartphone or the App will not haveaccess to such special data. In step 523, the user may next indicate tothe control system (e.g., after being queried by a GUI aspect) whethershe or he, in fact, actually consents to share the data given a privateclassification, in which instance, the control system again does not baraccess to that data, and instead shares it, in step 521. However, ifsuch data is classified as private, and if the user does not so overridethe effects of that designation in step 523, the control system barsaccess to those data by other persons, other devices and other avenues,instead withholding those data on the control system hardware presentwithin the smartphone case peripheral device itself, in step 531(although, in some embodiments, a user may have the option to offloaddata from the smartphone case peripheral device to another device, orlater share it, in some embodiments). In some embodiments, even thesmartphone is barred from access to those data. In this sense, use ofsuch data classified as private may be restricted to an authenticateduser of the control system (and/or smartphone case peripheral device)and may reside only within the smartphone case peripheral device, foraccess and use by the user, through the control system and smartphonecase peripheral device. In some embodiments, however, the smartphonecase peripheral device may be given restricted access to display devicesor other feedback devices within the smartphone and App, without storage(or, at least, long-term storage) on the smartphone, for the purpose ofallowing the user to access and manipulate such data. However, in otherembodiments, such display or other feedback devices are provided onlywithin the smartphone case peripheral device itself. Some examples ofsuch unique display and feedback devices included in the smartphone caseperipheral device, separate from the smartphone, are discussed ingreater detail elsewhere in this application.

In this instance of some special data created through the control systemand smartphone case peripheral device, there may be some initialambiguity as to the cause of that data. For example, in severalembodiments physical hand controls or other special GUI hardware orsoftware may register input from both a user and an environment. Forexample, in some embodiments discussed above, compressible members ofvarious types may be included within the smartphone case peripheraldevice, and the control system may record the effect of unintentionalinsults from the environment (e.g., dropping the case, causing acompressible member to be compressed by impact with the ground) or inputfrom a user (e.g., intentional squeezing of compressible members, torecord grip strength) at times not scheduled for a strength or dexteritytest of the user. In some such embodiments, the control system maydetermine (e.g., using a comparative algorithm or pattern matching)whether the input data from motion sensors more closely matches dataassociated with such an impact, e.g., because of its suddenness or speedof movement (a.k.a. “shock”), or whether the input data more closelymatches data associated with manual actuation (e.g., having a moregradual, consistent acceleration curve). In step 527, it may determinewhether manual actuation, or an environmental shock, has occurred, basedon which data type the input most closely matches. For this purpose,example patterns or characteristics of data related to shock and manualactuation may be separately stored for such comparisons and algorithmsimplementing such a step within software run on computer hardware. Ifclassified as a shock, sensor data may not be recorded, in someembodiments, or may be separately recorded, in other embodiments, andthe control system may return to the start position. However, in someembodiments, the control system may first generate an active response tothe shock, in step 529. For example, in some embodiments, the controlsystem may generate force through actuators that ease the impact of theshock. For example, in some embodiments, such an active response may bethe control system commanding a linear actuator of, or connected with,such a compressible member to initially retract the compressible memberto eliminate resistance to the impact of the ground, matching its speedat impact, and then gradually increasing resistance to the impact, todecelerate the smartphone case peripheral device safely, with lessdamage done to it and/or a smartphone held within it. As anotherexample, in some embodiments, the control system may command actuatorsto provide a safety barrier between the smartphone case peripheraldevice and the smartphone (e.g., extending additional cushioning orcreating additional space, between the smartphone and the ground.) Thecontrol system may then return to the starting position. If, however,the control system determines that manual actuation, rather than anenvironmental shock, has occurred, in step 527, the control system mayinstead determine that an off-schedule squeeze has taken place, and maystore those data within the smartphone case peripheral device only,classifying it as private and barring other access to those data, instep 531, as discussed above, and the control system may return to thestarting position.

Returning to steps 533 et seq., the control system, being separate fromthe smartphone, may conduct a number of functions without necessarilydirectly or currently interacting with the smartphone, in someembodiments. For example, if no power is received from a smartphone, insteps 501 through 503, as discussed above, or if no secure,authenticated connection is present between the control system and thesmartphone, or if the smartphone is not presently awake, the controlsystem may proceed to step 533. In some embodiments, in step 533, thecontrol system then queues up any scheduled alerts or other activitiesrequired for monitoring a user from an internal memory. The controlsystem may then send such scheduled alerts (i.e., “standard” reminders)and engage in data gathering and other activities, such as monitoring auser's grip strength or other performance or statuses, at such scheduledtimes, in step 535.

In some embodiments, such data gathering will take place only when auser provides such data in response to an alert, reminder or prompt toprovide that data (e.g., testing her or his grip strength) within aparticular interval of time following the time of that alert, reminderor prompt. Thus, in step 537, the control system may determine whether auser has provided such data, within such an interval and, if so, recordsthose data in step 539. If not, the control system may simply return tothe starting position. Examples of such data gathered, as discussedelsewhere in this application include a maximum grip strength (e.g.,determined by a peak average pressure, or total pressure achieved by auser actuating compressible members of a smartphone case peripheraldevice), speed, reaction time, agility, or a more sophisticated test, asdiscussed elsewhere in this application. For example, in someembodiments, more complex data from multiple such compressible membersmay be assessed and recorded. In some such embodiments, the controlsystem may issue instructions to the user in addition to remindersinstructing the user to attempt particular actuation patterns, usingparticular hand(s) or finger(s), to more particular test differentstrength and dexterity abilities of the user. In some embodiments,discussed in more detail below, even more complex, unlimited dexterity,strength, and mental performance tests, can be conducted usingparticular embodiments of the control system and smartphone caseperipheral device, many of which are discussed at length in thisapplication. The control system then returns to the starting position,or may again connect with the smartphone, sync and share the recordeddata with the smartphone, and, in some embodiments, an authorizedthird-party, in accordance with other steps of the figure (e.g., steps521 et seq., and steps 501 et seq.)

The steps set forth herein are illustrative, not exhaustive, of the manydifferent orders, numbers, sequences, partial sequences, arrangementsand combinations of steps that may be executed to carry out variousaspects of the present invention. In practice, such numbers, sequences,partial sequences, arrangements and combinations are virtuallyunlimited, and impossible to enumerate individually. As will be readilyapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, all such alternateorders, numbers, partial sequences, arrangements and combinations fallwithin the scope of the invention. Although some steps have been listedas “optional,” for ease of understanding, above, it should be understoodthat other steps may also be omitted or included in particularembodiments carrying out aspects of the invention. This specificationshould be interpreted as separately stating that each of any aspectdisclosed anywhere within the specification (such as a step) isincluded, and omitted, and included and omitted in any possiblecombination with one another, in alternate embodiments of the invention.

As mentioned above, the mention or discussion of any specific examplesof the invention, and any aspect of the invention within thisapplication is for illustration purposes only, to provide context andillustration of principles and aspects of the invention far broader thanthose examples, and those examples in no way limit the scope of thepresent invention. For example, embodiments provided throughout thisapplication, including the devices and GUI elements set forth in thefigures and discussed in detail in this application are, of course,examples, and not limiting. Rather, these embodiments are intended onlyas a reasonable set of possible example structures, substructures,materials, methods, steps and other aspects of the present invention,among virtually infinite and innumerable possibilities for carrying outthe present invention, to ease comprehension of the disclosure, as willbe readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example,the description of one particular order, number or other arrangement ofany aspects of the present invention set forth herein is illustrative,not limiting, and all other possible orders, numbers, etc., are alsowithin the scope of the invention, as will be so readily apparent. Anyaspect of the invention set forth herein may be included with any otheraspect or embodiment, as well as any aspects known in the art, in anynumber, order, arrangement, or alternative configuration, while stillcarrying out, and falling within, the scope of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another example smartphone caseperipheral device 601 with an array of behavior-monitoring sensorswithin an example touchscreen cover, in accordance with some embodimentsof the invention. As with some other embodiments of smartphone caseperipheral devices provided in this application, smartphone caseperipheral device 601 is configured to separately interact with a userand record a user's abilities periodically. In some embodiments, againas with some other embodiments of smartphone case peripheral devicesprovided in this application, a separate control system from any controlsystem within a smartphone, included within smartphone case peripheraldevice 601, may be provided—such as example control system 603. Also, aswith other embodiments of smartphone case peripheral devices provided inthis application, the separate control system includes computer hardwareand software in some embodiments, and may be a control system such asthat set forth in reference to FIG. 4, above. Also, as with otherembodiments of smartphone case peripheral devices provided in thisapplication, smartphone case peripheral device 601 includes a protectivehousing 605 and an internal smartphone-receiving section 607 in someembodiments. In some such embodiments, control system 603 includes aflattened shape, and may be held within a wall abuttingsmartphone-receiving section 607 in some embodiments—as pictured. Asalso discussed for other smartphone case peripheral devices provided inthis application, in some embodiments, smartphone case peripheral device601 includes an on-board power source connected for powering operationsof control system 603, such as example battery or capacitor power pack608, which also may have a flattened form factor and reside in a spacewithin smartphone case peripheral device 601 abuttingsmartphone-receiving section 607. In some embodiments, as discussedabove, smartphone case peripheral devices such as smartphone caseperipheral device 601 may receive power from an external source, such asa smartphone connected to smartphone case peripheral device 601 throughphysical conductors, or from a wireless power source, in someembodiments. Accordingly, a wireless power receiver 610 is included insmartphone case peripheral device 601 in some embodiments. In someembodiments, however, wireless power receiver 610 is alternatively oradditionally a wireless power transmitter, and thus may transfer powerfrom example battery or capacitor power pack 608 to a smartphone heldwithin smartphone-receiving section 607.

Although, as with other embodiments of smartphone case peripheraldevices provided in this application, a smartphone-receiving section 607is optionally shown without a smartphone encased within it, in order tobetter illustrate the nature of example smartphone case peripheraldevice 601 alone. In such an embodiment, smartphone-receiving section607 may include an internal void with a shape complementary to, orotherwise configured to hold, at least part of the outer surface of asmartphone. Separately, example smartphone case peripheral device 601may include a hinged touchscreen cover 609 in some embodiments, which isshown unfastened and ajar in the present figure to allow for theinstallation of a smartphone within smartphone-receiving section 607.Although the example of a hinged touchscreen cover is provided, ofcourse, any number of other forms of touchscreen covers with or withouta hinge 611 may be included in different embodiments of the invention.

In some embodiments including such a hinge, a locking clip 613 forclosing hinged touchscreen cover 609 may be included to allow a user tobind and better hold a smartphone within smartphone-receiving section607 (e.g., enhancing a water-tight seal created by rubberized gasket andsmartphone holding lip 615). In some embodiments, hinge 611 may servemore than a structural role allowing touchscreen cover 609 to swivel,opening and closing smartphone-receiving section 607. In some suchembodiments, hinge 611 may comprise a series of conducting leads 617connecting control system 603 and touchscreen cover 609, allowingcontrol system 603 to monitor and control activities using actuators anddisplay pixels within touchscreen cover 609 and receive input from anddeliver output to it. Touchscreen cover 609 itself is a new form of userbehavior monitoring hardware which may be overlaid onto, enhance, orcreate certain functions related to the actuation of a smartphoneinstalled within smartphone-receiving section 607 in some embodiments.In some embodiments, hinged touchscreen cover 609 may cover, alter theappearance of, and allow separate actuation of the touchscreen of asmartphone, while still allowing a user to view information on such atouchscreen. Hinged touchscreen cover 609 also includes one or moresensors configured to monitor the physical abilities of a user, and,more specifically, activities related to GUI elements appearing on orrelative to such a touchscreen.

In some embodiments, hinged touchscreen cover 609 includes an array oftransparent touch sensors within a transparent auxiliary touch screen619, which is overlaid onto the touchscreen of a smartphone wheninstalled in smartphone case peripheral device 601. In some embodiments,in addition to recording touches and gestures from a user performed ontransparent screen 611, smartphone case peripheral device 601 alsotransmits such touches and gestures to the touchscreen of thesmartphone. In some such embodiments, such touches and gestures aredirectly transmitted to the touchscreen of the smartphone throughtransparent screen 611 (e.g., via physical flexibility enabling touchtransmission, or, in the case of galvanically-actuated touchscreens, amatrix of galvanic conductors or other actuators bridging entirelyacross transparent screen 611). However, in some embodiments, at leastsome such gestures may not be transmitted or, at least, may not bedirectly transmitted to the touchscreen of the smartphone throughtransparent screen 611. Instead, the control system within smartphonecase peripheral device 601 may serve as a gatekeeper, selecting,modifying or enhancing such transmissions, and then transmitting themthrough actuation of such a matrix of actuators, to the touchscreen. Insome embodiments, such an auxiliary touch screen may be included within,on, or about a smartphone itself. In other embodiments, such anauxiliary touchscreen may be provided within a lower profile smartphonecase without such an internal smartphone-receiving section (e.g., a“screen protector” including such an auxiliary touchscreen and/orcontrol system). In some embodiments, such an auxiliary touchscreen isprovided without separate control system from the smartphone. In somesuch embodiments, a virtual machine or otherwise separately designatedportion of the smartphone control system may simulate or act as aseparate control system designated for a smartphone case peripheraldevice, as set forth in this application. However, in other embodiments,such an auxiliary touchscreen is, as with several other smartphone caseperipheral devices set forth in the present application, provided with aseparate control system, other than any control system within asmartphone.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another exemplary empty smartphone caseperipheral device 701 configured to provide other forms of low-profilebehavioral monitoring sensors, in accordance with some embodiments. Aswith other smartphone case peripheral devices set forth in the presentapplication, smartphone case peripheral device 701 includes a protectivehousing 703 which may at least partially surround and protect an outersurface of smartphone (not pictured in the present figure). In addition,and also as with other smartphone case peripheral devices set forth inthe present application, smartphone case peripheral device 701 mayinclude one or more sensors configured to monitor the physical abilitiesof a user. In some embodiments, one or more pressure sensors, such asany of the example pressure sensors 705 shown lining part of thelengthwise sides 707 of smartphone case peripheral device 701, areprovided. For example, in some embodiments, a group of such sensors,such as example aligned sensors 709, cover at least part of one of thetwo lengthwise sides 707—namely, lengthwise side 711, as pictured. Insome such embodiments, such a group of sensors allow for differentreadings and analysis of inwardly-applied pressure on different areas oflengthwise side 711. As will be explained further below, in someembodiments, aligned sensors 709 may cover such areas at locationscorresponding with the natural placement of a user's fingers whenholding a smartphone or smartphone case, such as smartphone caseperipheral device 701. Thus, in some embodiments, a user may interactwith smartphone case peripheral device 701 while allowing smartphonecase peripheral device 701 to monitor her or his behavior and otherpersonal characteristics, without deviating from her or his ordinaryhand placement on smartphone case peripheral device 701. In addition,smartphone case peripheral device 701 can separately sense and recordreadings related to pressure from each of a user's fingers using anon-board control system, such as example control system 713, shownwithin smartphone case peripheral device 701. As with other controlsystems set forth in the present application, control system 713 may bea control system such as that set forth in reference to FIG. 4, in someembodiments. Each of example aligned sensors 709 may be separatelyconnected and able to communicate signals with control system 713, whichmay therefore separately monitor, record, and analyze readings from eachof aligned sensors 709, for example, via separateelectrically-conductive leads, such as the examples pictured as 715.

In some embodiments, smartphone case peripheral device 701 may include awide variety of other numbers and arrangements of different forms ofpressure sensors in addition to, or instead of, example aligned sensors709. For example, as pictured, in some embodiments, smartphone caseperipheral device 701 includes a substantially whole-surface orwhole-edge sensor, such as example full edge sensor 717, in someembodiments. Such a whole-surface or whole-edge sensor coverssubstantially more of one of lengthwise sides 707 of smartphone caseperipheral device 701, such as example other side 719 of smartphone caseperipheral device 701, than aligned sensors 709 do, in some embodiments.For example, in some embodiments, such a whole-surface or whole-edgesensor covers all, or substantially all, of the circumference of side719. In some embodiments, such a whole-surface or whole-edge sensorcovers all, or substantially all, of the surface of smartphone caseperipheral device 701. Thus, as with the pressure from a user's fingersin relation to aligned sensors 709, example full edge sensor 717 mayalso take readings and analysis of inwardly-applied pressure ondifferent areas of example other side 719, in some embodiments. Fulledge sensor 717 may cover areas of smartphone case peripheral device 701at locations corresponding with the natural placement of a user's thumb,thumb joint, thumb web and/or the palm and/or heel of her or his handwhen holding a smartphone or smartphone case, such as smartphone caseperipheral device 701, examples of which will be discussed in greaterdetail below. Thus, in some embodiments, a user may interact withsmartphone case peripheral device 701 while allowing smartphone caseperipheral device 701 to monitor her or his behavior and other personalcapabilities or characteristics, without deviating from her or hisordinary hand placement on smartphone case peripheral device 701. Inaddition, smartphone case peripheral device 701 can separately sense andrecord readings related to pressure from each of a user's fingers,thumb, and palm of her or his hand, using a control system such asexample control system 713 shown within smartphone case peripheraldevice 701.

In some embodiments, any sensors of smartphone case peripheral device701, such as aligned sensors 709 and/or full edge sensor 717, may belocated on the surface of protective housing 703 of smartphone caseperipheral device 701. However, in some embodiments, as pictured, suchsensors are located on an interior, smartphone-facing surface 721 ofsmartphone case peripheral device 701. In some such embodiments a usermay apply pressure to part of the surface of protective housing 703, andsuch sensors located below such parts of the surface of protectivehousing 703 may detect pressure exerted by the interiorsmartphone-facing surface of smartphone case peripheral device 701. Insome such embodiments, the pressure thus detected may be better isolatedto, and correspond with, pressure on specific points or regions ofsmartphone case peripheral device 701 by smartphone case peripheraldevice 701 consisting of or including a flexible (e.g., silicone-based,rubber, or otherwise pliable) material, and pressure exerted atparticular points on the outer surface of smartphone case peripheraldevice 701 translates into highly localized readings at sensors directlybeneath such particular points. However, in some embodiments, rigidmaterials, in all or portions of smartphone case peripheral device 701,may be included, alternatively, or in addition.

In some embodiments aligned sensors 709 and/or full edge sensor 717 maybe in a different, or additional, form than pressure sensors. Forexample, in some embodiments, aligned sensors 709 and/or full edgesensor 717 may include a galvanic sensor for measuring the galvanic skinresistance or response of parts of a user's hand. For example, in someembodiments, aligned sensors 709 and/or full edge sensor 717 may includean optical sensor for measuring changes in skin flushing or other colorand visible state changes of parts of a user's hand. For example, insome embodiments, aligned sensors 709 and/or full edge sensor 717 mayinclude an analyte detector and measurement device for measuring thepresence and concentration of an analyte from a user's hand. In someembodiments, aligned sensors 709 and/or full edge sensor 717 may includeelectrodes for testing a user's skin or muscle tone, through her or hisfingers when touching such electrodes. In some such embodiments, alignedsensors 709 and/or full edge sensor 717 may sense and record partialcontraction of muscles within the user's hand. In some embodiments,aligned sensors 709 and/or full edge sensor 717 may sense and record apre-contraction condition of the user's hand. In some embodiments one ofthe above such sensing may be used to determine a measure related to auser's health. In some embodiments, more than one of the above suchsensing may be used to determine a measure related to a user's health.For example, in some embodiments, one of the above such sensing may beused to estimate a user's grip strength. In some such embodiments, suchan estimate of a user's grip strength may be made without requiring theuser to apply her or his maximum grip to sensors 709 and/or full edgesensor 717. As another example, in some embodiments, in someembodiments, one of the above such sensing may be used to determine aheart rate of a user. As another example, in some embodiments, one ofthe above such sensing may be used to determine an anxiety level of auser. As another example, in some embodiments, one of the above suchsensing may be used to determine an inflammation level of a user. Asanother example, in some embodiments, one of the above such sensing maybe used to determine the level of an analyte within a user's skin or abodily fluid. As another example, in some embodiments, one of the abovesuch sensing may be used to determine another biomarker of a user.

As with other smartphone case peripheral devices set forth in thepresent application, smartphone case peripheral device 701 may include awired and/or wireless gateway for sending communications and/ortransferring power to and from a smartphone, in some embodiments. Forexample, in some such embodiments, smartphone case peripheral device 701may include any of the hardware for communications and power transferset forth elsewhere in this application. As another example, in somesuch embodiments, smartphone case peripheral device 701 may include anysuitable hardware for communications and power transfer known in theart. For example, in some embodiments, a serial communications plug 708is provided at the base of a smartphone-receiving section 723 ofsmartphone case peripheral device 701 (such that it will interface withthe serial communications port of the smartphone, when installedtherein). As with other serial communications hardware set forth in thepresent invention, serial communications plug 708 may be electricallyconnected to, and allow for reversible, temporary communications andpower connections between smartphone case peripheral device 701 and asmartphone held within smartphone case peripheral device 701 (notpictured in the present figure). In the example pictured, serialcommunications plug 708 is shown as similar in format to an APPLE“LIGHTNING” serial plug. However, it should be understood that anysuitable format for connecting smartphones with peripheral devices may,instead or in addition, be used for serial communications plug 708.

In some embodiments, an auxiliary serial communications port 725 mayalso be provided. Example auxiliary serial communications port 725 maybe electrically connected to and allow for another reversible, temporarycommunications and power connections between smartphone case peripheraldevice 701 and another peripheral device, in some embodiments. In someembodiments, serial communications port 725 may be disposed on theexterior of smartphone case peripheral device 701, and, in such aposition, can be accessed by a serial communications plug of the same ora compatible format. Again, although serial communications port 725 isshown as similar in format to an APPLE “LIGHTNING” serial communicationsformat, it should be understood that any suitable format for connectingsmartphones with peripheral devices may, instead or in addition to thatexample, be used for serial communications port 725.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another example smartphone caseperipheral device 801, ready to receive a smartphone, also providingsome low-profile behavioral monitoring sensors, and having a moreabbreviated form factor, only partially covering such a smartphone, inaccordance with some embodiments of the invention. As with othersmartphone case peripheral devices set forth in the present application,smartphone case peripheral device 801 includes a protective housing 803,which may at least partially surround and protect an outer surface ofsmartphone (as pictured in the following figure). In addition, and alsoas with other smartphone case peripheral devices set forth in thepresent application, smartphone case peripheral device 801 includes oneor more sensors configured to monitor the physical activities, abilitiesand/or characteristics of a user, in some embodiments. In someembodiments, one or more pressure sensors, such as any of the examplepressure sensors 805 shown lining part of the lengthwise sides 806 ofsmartphone case peripheral device 801, are provided. Pressure sensors805 are pictured as being similar in form and nature to pressure sensorsshown previously, in reference to FIG. 7, above. And as mentioned withrespect to FIG. 7, and other sensors of smartphone case peripheraldevices in the present application, pressure sensors 805 may, instead,or in addition, be any other sensor type, arrangement and combinationthereof discussed in reference to FIG. 7, or anywhere else in thisapplication. Generally speaking, pressure sensors 805 and any othersensors for sensing, recording and analyzing a user's behavior set forthin this application, may be any sensor type, arrangement and combinationthereof known in the art which is suitable for sensing human's behavior,capabilities, biomarkers and analytes, in various embodiments. Forexample, in some embodiments, any of sensor(s) 805 may be one or moreoptical or motion sensor(s), in addition to or instead of pressuresensor(s). As another example, in some embodiments, any of sensor(s) 805may be one or more infrared sensor(s), in addition to or instead ofpressure sensor(s) or optical or motion sensor(s). As yet anotherexample, in some embodiments, any of sensor(s) 805 may be one or moreproximity sensor(s), in addition to or instead of pressure sensor(s),optical or motion sensor(s), or infrared sensor(s).

In any event, in some embodiments, pressure sensors 805 may be in anarrangement as pictured which, as with the arrangement for sensors 705,discussed above, are positioned to sense, monitor and facilitate theanalysis of a user's hand and finger position, movements, and othercharacteristics of the user, as the user interacts with a smartphonecase peripheral device, and a smartphone held within or related to it.

However, as mentioned above, protective housing 803 has a moreabbreviated form factor than that of some other smartphone caseperipheral devices set forth in this application, in some embodiments.For example, in some embodiments, protective housing 803 includes anopen top 807, which, unlike protective housing 703 of smartphone caseperipheral device 701, does not completely surround the top end of asmartphone, even when the smartphone is installed into thesmartphone-receiving section, such as example smartphone-receivingsection 809, of smartphone case peripheral device 801. In someembodiments, an at least partially open bottom 811 is also included insmartphone case peripheral device 801. In some embodiments, open bottom811 may, as with open top 807, not completely surround an end of asmartphone, even when the smartphone is installed intosmartphone-receiving section 809. However, in some embodiments, openbottom 811 may so completely surround the bottom end of a smartphone. Instill other embodiments, as pictured, open bottom 811 may partiallysurround the bottom end of a smartphone, providing some, but notcompletely-surrounding, protection for such an end of a smartphone. Insome embodiments, open bottom 811 still houses and supports a wiredand/or wireless gateway for sending communications for a control unit(now example control unit 812) of smartphone case peripheral device 801and/or transferring power to and from the control unit, to and from asmartphone, whether or not it includes such a more abbreviated formfactor. For example, as pictured, open bottom 811 includes a serialcommunications plug, now shown as serial communications plug 808,located at the base of a smartphone-receiving section 809 of smartphonecase peripheral device 801 (such that it will interface with the serialcommunications port of the smartphone, when installed therein) and anauxiliary serial communications port, now 815, each of which may be of asimilar nature to hardware set forth above in reference to FIG. 7.

In some embodiments, as pictured, the form of smartphone case peripheraldevice 801 may conform to or otherwise match or mirror users' typicalhand position while holding and using a smartphone held within a case.For example, as pictured, and as discussed elsewhere in thisapplication, the top 807 and/or the bottom 811 may be disposed at anangle relative to the overall length of smartphone case peripheraldevice 801 or a smartphone held within it. In some such embodiments,such an angle is selected to match or accommodate the angle of a users'hand relative to the overall length of smartphone case peripheral device801 or a smartphone held within it. In some embodiments, the top 807and/or the bottom 811 or any other edge, area or surface of smartphonecase peripheral device 801 may be otherwise shaped or formed tocompliment the form of a human hand (e.g., having surface(s) or edge(s)that are curved to match or accommodate curves of the human hand, suchas example edge curve 817 and example edge curve 819). Some typical handpositions for a user of such a smartphone case peripheral device and/ora smartphone are discussed in reference to FIGS. 10 and 11, below.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the same example smartphone caseperipheral device 801 shown in FIG. 8, above, but after receiving andpartially covering a smartphone, such as example smartphone 903, inaccordance with some embodiments of the invention. As discussed above inreference to FIG. 8, a central lengthwise line 905 can be conceptualizedparallel with outer lengthwise edges 907 of smartphone case peripheraldevice 801 and at the center of smartphone 903, when properly installedwithin smartphone-receiving section 809 and smartphone case peripheraldevice 801. As discussed above, the top 807 and/or the bottom 811 areshown disposed at an angle relative to this central lengthwise line 905and the overall length of the smartphone case peripheral device 801 orthe smartphone held within it—namely, smartphone 903, in the examplepictured.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the same example smartphone caseperipheral device 701, shown in FIG. 7, above, partially covering atleast part of an example smartphone 1000, and in use by an example user1001, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. User 1001 isshown holding smartphone case peripheral device 701 in her hand 1003,and in a typical hand position for user 1001 when holding a smartphonewithin smartphone case peripheral device 701. As pictured, her hand isgenerally forming an angle relative to the overall length of smartphonecase peripheral device 701 and the smartphone held within it, andrelative to a central lengthwise line 1005 parallel with outerlengthwise edges, such as example lengthwise edge 1007, of smartphonecase peripheral device 701, and at the center of smartphone 1000. As aresult, the location of pressure sensors 705 corresponds with thelocation of at least some of user's 1001 fingers 1009, and this is ableto record data related to the user's fingers and hand as discussed above(e.g., movement(s), contact(s), grip strength(s) and/or pressuretherefrom).

Smartphone case peripheral device 1001 may include an internal supportstructure 1011 in some embodiments. Internal support structure 1011 mayinclude a rigid material suitable for surrounding, protecting,preventing and/or reducing the compression of smartphone 1000 when auser presses on the outer surface of protective housing 703 ofsmartphone case peripheral device 701. In some embodiments, internalsupport structure 1011 surrounds at least part of smartphone-receivingsection 723, forming a protective, rigid cage around it. In someembodiments, however, internal support structure 1011 may comprise acushioning or elastomeric material with or without such a rigidmaterial, and may protect a smartphone held within smartphone-receivingsection 723. As with top 807 and/or the bottom 811, discussed above,internal support structure 1011 may be disposed at an angle relative tothe overall length of the smartphone case peripheral device and asmartphone held within it (such as example smartphone 1000, aspictured), matching, mirroring, or otherwise complementary to a typicalhand position (such as that pictured, as typical hand position 1013).

In some embodiments, an additional support structure or component may beincluded having a structure that is a mirror image of at least part ofinternal support structure 1011, and some such embodiments may includesensors in a mirror image configuration of that shown for sensors 705,relative to central lengthwise line 1005. In such embodiments, a userwith the opposite dominant hand than user 1001, holding smartphone 1000with an opposite hand to that pictured, may use smartphone caseperipheral device 701 to better record and monitor her or his behaviorand biometrics (e.g., grip strength using pressure and/or compressionsensors, using techniques discussed elsewhere in this application).Similarly, the same user 1001, using her same hand 1003, may similarlybetter record and monitor his or her behavior and biometrics whensmartphone case peripheral device 701 and/or smartphone 1000 is rotated180 degrees about central lengthwise line 1005 than the positionpictured. For example, when a GUI relevant to using smartphone caseperipheral device 701 is presented on the touchscreen of smartphone1000, a user may wish to observe and interact with such a GUI, and maybe required to so rotate smartphone case peripheral device 701 and/orsmartphone 1000.

However, in some embodiments, an additional display, other than thetouchscreen of the smartphone, may be included on the outer surface ofthe back side 1015 smartphone case peripheral device 701, facing awayfrom the palm of user 1001's hand. In some such embodiments, a user mayinteract with such an additional display and an additional GUI presentedon it by control system 713 and perform any operations specific tosmartphone case peripheral devices set forth in this application. Asdiscussed elsewhere in this application, in some such embodiments, atleast some such operations, and data related to them, are notcommunicated, or at least are not directly communicated, with a controlsystem within the smartphone. Thus, such an additional display may aidin the independent management and control of private user data, in someembodiments.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an example smartphone 1101, includingsensors configured to monitor the behavior, physical characteristics,and/or abilities of a user within its protective housing, in accordancewith some embodiments of the invention.

As with smartphone case peripheral devices set forth in the presentapplication, smartphone 1101 itself includes one or more sensors (andany sensors set forth in the present application) configured to monitorthe physical activities, abilities and/or characteristics of a user, insome embodiments. Thus, in some embodiments, one or more pressuresensors 1105, shown lining part of the lengthwise sides 1107 ofsmartphone 1101, are included. Pressure sensors 1105 are pictured asbeing similar in form and nature to pressure sensors shown previously,for example, in reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, above. And as mentioned withrespect to FIGS. 7 and 8, and other sensors of smartphone caseperipheral devices in the present application, pressure sensors 1105may, instead, or in addition, be any other sensor type, arrangement andcombination thereof discussed in reference to any embodiments of theinvention set forth in this application. As mentioned previously,pressure sensors 1105 and any other sensors for sensing, recording andanalyzing a user's behavior or characteristics set forth in thisapplication, may be any sensor type, arrangement and combination thereofknown in the art, which is suitable for sensing human's behavior, invarious embodiments.

However, rather than having such sensors line, or partially line, thehousing of a smartphone case peripheral device, the example pressuresensors 1105 of smartphone 1101 are present directly on or within theouter surface 1109 of smartphone 1101.

Thus, many of the techniques for sensing, monitoring and analyzing auser's activities, abilities and other characteristics set forth in thisapplication may be carried out using smartphone 1101 instead of (or inaddition to, in some embodiments) using a peripheral device, such as anyof the smartphone case peripheral devices set forth in this application.In some embodiments, a separate control system, other than the controlsystem used to conduct other operations of the smartphone, may beincluded—such as example auxiliary smartphone control system 1111. Insome such embodiments, any of the operations set forth above for controlunits included within any smartphone case peripheral device may insteadbe conducted using such an auxiliary smartphone control system. Also insome such embodiments, such an auxiliary control system may have atleast some separate data storage and operations, segregated from datastorage and operations of the control system used to conduct otheroperations of the smartphone.

FIG. 12 is a front view of an example user interface 1200, implementingsome example aspects of the present invention related to monitoring andgathering data related to a user's behavior, physical characteristics,and/or abilities with a smartphone, such as example smartphone 1201,and/or with a smartphone case peripheral device. Although the example ofa smartphone 1201, which may, in some embodiments, be a smartphone suchas smartphone 1101, discussed above, is provided, it should beunderstood that such a smartphone or smartphone case peripheral devicemay be, or may be in a form similar to, any of the example smartphonesand smartphone case peripheral devices set forth in this application formonitoring, recording and/or analyzing behavior, physicalcharacteristics, and/or abilities of a user, in some embodiments of theinvention. Thus, although example user interface 1200 is shown on afront touchscreen 1203 in the embodiment pictured, in some embodiments,example user interface 1200 may be provided on any form of electronics,or peripheral electronics (e.g., such as a peripheral device separatefrom a smartphone) display (e.g., alternate display 1305 of examplesmartwatch 1319, shown in the subsequent figure), which may be connectedwith and able to engage in communications with smartphone 1201, in someembodiments.

As mentioned above, with respect to some example embodiments ofprocesses which may be carried out with specialized control systems,such as any of the control systems set forth in this application runningsoftware as described in this application, a control system within asmartphone case peripheral device, or an example smartphone, such assmartphone 1201, may carry out certain procedural steps related tomonitoring and gathering data related to a user's behavior, physicalcharacteristics, and/or abilities, in accordance with aspects of thepresent invention. And, in some of those embodiments, a separate controlsystem, other than a main control system of the smartphone 1201, may socarry out such procedural steps, retaining certain private data, whilesharing other data with other control systems and third parties, inaccordance with a user's preferences. For example, as set forth above,in reference to the process flow diagram of FIG. 5, in some embodiments,a user may record data related to her or his physical capabilities and,in some particular embodiments, data related to her or his gripstrength. FIG. 12 provides one example of a GUI—namely, user interface1200—aiding the control system and user in carrying some of suchprocedural steps, and gathering and handling such data.

First, as noted in example process flow steps 515 et. seq., discussedabove, such a smartphone or smartphone case peripheral device maymaintain a schedule of “squeeze reminders,” leading to GUI aspectsprompting a user to test her or his grip strength by applying force tosensors within or about a case or housing of smartphone 1201 (or, insome embodiments, a smartphone case peripheral device), which may thenrecord data related to pressure measures from the sensors, and otherdata related to a user's grip strength. Accordingly, in an example ofsuch an embodiment, haptic feedback may be provided periodically as, oras part of, such a “squeeze reminder,” to so prompt a user, requestingthat the user engage in such a grip strength test. For example, in someembodiments, the smartphone may begin to buzz or shake, as shown byexample haptic feedback vibration-indicating lines 1205, in order to soprompt the user. Such buzzing and/or shaking may be caused by actuatorsunder the control of the control system within smartphone 1201, in someembodiments. In some embodiments, such buzzing and/or shaking may becarried out in a unique pattern or other type of such buzzing and/orshaking, to uniquely identify the prompt as relating to such a squeezereminder, as opposed to other patterns or types of such buzzing and/orshaking associated with other smartphone alerts.

In some embodiments, a visual GUI such as example user interface 1200provides such a prompt and/or squeeze reminder, instead of, in additionto, and/or supplementing such haptic feedback, among other possiblefunctions for such a GUI. In some such embodiments, a visual message1207 may command the user to begin squeezing the smartphone and/orsmartphone case peripheral device, which will then begin recordingpressure readings on exterior sensors resulting from such squeezing. Insome embodiments, a planned duration of the grip strength test may alsobe indicated, via a test duration indicator 1209. In some embodiments,visual progress indicators, such as example squeeze pressure indicatingbent lines 1213, may also or alternatively be provided within userinterface 1200, and may provide the user with feedback regarding variousaspects of such a test, once underway. The function of such visualprogress indicators will be discussed in greater detail below.

FIG. 13 is a front view of another form of the example user interface1200, and the example smartphone 1201 presenting it, as depicted above,in FIG. 12, at a later point in time, and implementing some additionalexample aspects of the present invention during a data generatingactivity. At the point in time depicted, a user 1300 has responded to asqueeze reminder, as discussed above, by picking up smartphone 1201 andbeginning to exert substantial inward (i.e. “squeezing”) pressureagainst sensors on or about protective case 1303 of smartphone 1201,which triggers the beginning of a grip strength test as discussed inthis application. In some embodiments, protective case 1303 may befortified with additional support, in comparison to other smartphones ofa similar form, to prevent any ordinary range of human grip strengthexerted against protective case 1303 from damaging smartphone 1201. Insome such embodiments, an additional amount of structural reinforcementagainst squeezing forces may be provided, to ensure a margin of safety,above and beyond an ordinary range of human grip strength. For example,as discussed above for certain smartphone case peripheral devices, insome embodiments, an internal support structure, including a rigidmaterial suitable for protecting, preventing and/or reducing thecompression of smartphone 1201 when a user presses on its housing, maybe provided within protective case 1303.

As also mentioned above, visual progress indicators may be included insome embodiments of user interface 1200 (and other embodiments of userinterfaces in accordance with the present invention). Such visualprogress indicators may relate to any type and amount of data related tothe grip strength test, any aspect of the grip strength test, and/or theuser in various embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, as user1300 begins the grip strength test, as pictured, a timer within thecontrol system may begin to track the amount of time that has elapsed,which is reported to the user via a time elapsed indicator 1305, and theamount of time that remains of the planned duration (for the test) isreported via a time remaining indicator 1307.

As another example, as also as discussed above, squeeze pressureindicating bent lines 1213 may indicate a visual perception of theprogress of one aspect of the grip strength test, rather than, or inaddition to, written words or numbers—namely, the grip strength pressurecurrently being applied causes squeeze pressure indicating bent lines1213 to progress inward on front touchscreen 1203. In some embodiments,squeeze pressure indicating bent lines 1213 may also, or alternatively,become more numerous and/or larger, to illustrate such increasing gripstrength pressure, also as pictured.

In some embodiments, the grip strength pressure may also oralternatively be illustrated by a numerical grip strength pressureindicator 1309. Although numerical grip strength pressure indicator 1309is shown as displaying pressure units in pounds, it should be understoodthat any suitable unit or form demonstrating the relative strength of auser's grip may, alternatively or in addition, be used (e.g., kilograms,pounds-per-square-inch). In some embodiments, the total amount of energyconsumed by the user's muscles in carrying out the grip strength test(e.g., in exerting the squeezing pressure during the test, sensed bysmartphone 1201) may also be recorded and reported to the user in realtime, via an energy consumption indicator 1311 (e.g., in Calories, aspictured). Of course, any other suitable type of data may likewise bereported to the user in real time during the hand grip strength test, insome embodiments of the invention, in addition to, or as an alternativeto, the examples provided in reference to FIG. 13. For example, in someembodiments, implementing movable members of a smartphone caseperipheral device (as discussed in this application) an amount of work,or rate of work (power) may be so reported to the user, and recorded asdata related to hand grip strength generated during the hand grip test.In some embodiments, such work and rate of work measurements may beestimated, even in instances without such moving members of a smartphonecase peripheral device, based on an amount of bone movement during handor finger compression. In any event, in some embodiments, a user may beprovided with a peak indicator 1313 that indicates a highest amount ofpressure (or other measure of grip strength) achieved at any pointduring the hand grip strength test.

In some embodiments, a user also may be provided with a GUI elementencouraging her or him to increase her or his muscular exertion (e.g.,to a maximum) when such a peak amount of pressure is recorded and/orwhen the duration of the grip strength test is reaching an end (e.g.,during the final 3 seconds, or final 5 seconds, in some embodiments) asshown with example coaching feedback element 1315, shown on auxiliarydisplay 1317 of smartwatch 1319 (which, as discussed above, may be partof, or may be controlled by, the control system, in some embodiments).

Upon the conclusion of the hand grip strength test (e.g., at the end ofthat duration) a user may then choose to save, discard and/or designatethe data recorded by the control system related to that test (e.g., thepeak hand grip pressure) as private or share it with third persons—e.g.,using any of the selectable privacy designation GUI options pictured as1321. For example, by selecting the example “Record” option GUI element1323, a user may choose to record such data within the private,segregated control system, where it is not accessible to other controlsystems with lower data security, such as a main control system of thesmartphone, thus designating that data as private and not for sharing.Alternatively, in some embodiments, by selecting example “Share” optionGUI element 1325, a user may instead choose to so make the data from thetest accessible to such other control systems and/or third parties. Insome embodiments, a user may elect to delete such data from such a testaltogether, at least, with respect to some tests, by selecting example“Cancel” GUI element 1327. In some embodiments, a user may then bepermitted to attempt a similar test, afterwards, following the samesteps discussed above.

As mentioned above, a wide variety of alternative embodiments of thepresent invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art(s)relevant to the invention. For example, any aspect of the invention setforth above may be combined with any other aspect, in different numbers,combinations, orders and configurations, in various innumerableembodiments. Any such embodiments, among others, fall within the scopeof the invention, and the recitation of any particular embodiments isfor illustrative purposes, and does not limit the scope of theinvention.

Various embodiments are described in this specification, with referenceto the detailed discussed above, the accompanying drawings, and theclaims. Numerous specific details are described to provide a thoroughunderstanding of various embodiments. However, in certain instances,well-known or conventional details are not described in order to providea concise discussion. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and somefeatures may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particularcomponents. Therefore, specific structural and functional detailsdisclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as abasis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching oneskilled in the art to variously employ the embodiments.

The embodiments described and claimed herein and drawings areillustrative and are not to be construed as limiting the embodiments.The subject matter of this specification is not to be limited in scopeby the specific examples, as these examples are intended asillustrations of several aspects of the embodiments. Any equivalentexamples are intended to be within the scope of the specification.Indeed, various modifications of the disclosed embodiments in additionto those shown and described herein will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art, and such modifications are also intended to fallwithin the scope of the appended claims.

While this specification contains many specific implementation details,these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of anyinvention or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions offeatures that may be specific to particular embodiments of particularinventions. Certain features that are described in this specification inthe context of separate embodiments can also be implemented incombination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features thatare described in the context of a single embodiment can also beimplemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitablesubcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above asacting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, oneor more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excisedfrom the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to asubcombination or variation of a subcombination.

Similarly, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particularorder, this should not be understood as requiring, in all embodiments,that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or insequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, toachieve desirable results. In certain circumstances, multitasking andparallel processing may be advantageous. Moreover, the separation ofvarious system modules and components in the embodiments described aboveshould not be understood as requiring such separation in allembodiments, and it should be understood that the described programcomponents and systems can generally be integrated together in a singlesoftware product or packaged into multiple software products.

It should be noted that some of the disclosures set forth as background,such as, but not limited to, the above language under the heading“Background,” do not relate exclusively to prior art and the state ofthe art in the field(s) of the invention, and should not be construed asan admission with respect thereto.

All references, including patents, patent applications and publicationscited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety andfor all purposes to the same extent as if each individual publication orpatent or patent application was specifically and individually indicatedto be incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

What is claimed is:
 1. A smartphone case peripheral device comprising: afirst surface comprising a smartphone-receiving section sized to receivea smartphone therein; a second surface connected to the first surface,the second surface comprising a compressible member extending awaytherefrom, wherein the compressible member is configured to travelinwards when compressed; and an interior compartment defined by thefirst surface and the second surface, the interior compartmentcomprising: a compression sensor in communication with the compressiblemember, wherein the compression sensor is configured to monitor theamount and/or rate of compression of the compressible member; a shockabsorber in communication with the compressible member, wherein theshock absorber is configured to be engaged via said compression of thecompressible member; a communications connection device configured toprovide a communications connection between the smartphone caseperipheral device and a smartphone seated within thesmartphone-receiving section; and specialized computer hardware andsoftware in communication with the compression sensor, the shockabsorber, and the communications connection device, wherein thespecialized computer hardware and software is configured to monitorbehavior of a user of a smartphone seated within thesmartphone-receiving section.
 2. A smartphone case peripheral deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the compressible member is selected fromthe group consisting of: shock-absorbing bumpers and compressible handgrips.
 3. A smartphone case peripheral device according to claim 2,wherein the compressible member comprises one or more of theshock-absorbing bumpers and one more of the compressible hand grips. 4.A smartphone case peripheral device according to claim 3, wherein: theone or more shock-absorbing bumpers extend a first distance away fromthe second surface; the one or more compressible hand grips extend asecond distance away from the second surface; and the first distance isgreater than the second distance.
 5. A smartphone case peripheral deviceaccording to claim 1, further comprising: a moveable member at leastpartially disposed within the interior compartment and connected to thecompressible member, wherein the compressible member is furtherconfigured to drive the moveable member within the interior compartment.6. A smartphone case peripheral device according to claim 5, wherein themoveable member is configured to drive the shock absorber.
 7. Asmartphone case peripheral device according to claim 1, wherein thespecialized computer hardware and software is configured to drive thecompressible member.
 8. A smartphone case peripheral device according toclaim 1, wherein the specialized computer hardware and software isconfigured to transmit a reminder to perform a periodic handgripstrength test.
 9. A smartphone case peripheral device according to claim8, wherein the specialized computer hardware and software is configuredto transmit the reminder via a specialized haptic feedback that is usedexclusively for the reminder.
 10. A peripheral device for a smartphonecomprising: an outer housing; specialized computer hardware and softwareconfigured to monitor behavior of a user of a smartphone; acommunications connection device configured to provide a communicationsconnection between said peripheral device and the smartphone; and atleast one smartphone actuation sensor comprising a flat panel overlaidonto a touchscreen of said smartphone, wherein said specialized computerhardware and software and said at least one smartphone actuation sensorare each configured to monitor a type, a dexterity and a speed of touchactuation of said smartphone.
 11. A peripheral device for a smartphoneaccording to claim 10, wherein the flat panel comprises a transparentauxiliary touch sensor array.
 12. A peripheral device for a smartphoneaccording to claim 11, wherein the transparent auxiliary touch sensorarray comprises a transparent pixel array.
 13. A peripheral device for asmartphone according to claim 12, wherein the transparent pixel arraycomprises a touch transmission medium configured to permit a user toactuate the touchscreen of the smartphone through said transparentauxiliary touch sensor array.
 14. A peripheral device for a smartphoneaccording to claim 12, wherein the transparent pixel array is configuredto add visual augmentations to the touchscreen of the smartphone.
 15. Aperipheral device for a smartphone according to claim 14, wherein saidvisual augmentations comprise graphical user interface (“GUI”) elements.16. A peripheral device for a smartphone according to claim 15, whereinsaid GUI elements are placed near, or on, interface elements displayedby the touchscreen of the smartphone.
 17. A peripheral device for asmartphone according to claim 16, wherein said GUI elements do notentirely block from view the interface elements displayed by thetouchscreen of the smartphone.
 18. A peripheral device for a smartphoneaccording to claim 16, wherein said GUI elements entirely block fromview the interface elements displayed by the touchscreen of thesmartphone.